Rowlands Gill is a town situated along the A694, between Winlaton Mill and Hamsterley Mill, on the north bank of the River Derwent, in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England. Within Gateshead's greenbelt, the village has a picturesque setting with much open space and views across the valley to Gibside Estate, now owned by the National Trust.
In local government Rowlands Gill is located mainly within the ward of Chopwell and Rowlands Gill. It is served by three councillors, all of whom are Labour councillors, except for the north end at Lockhaugh, which falls within the ward of Winlaton and High Spen, and is served by two Liberal Democrat councillors. Gateshead Council is Labour-controlled. Rowlands Gill is in the parliamentary constituency of Blaydon. The MP is Labour's Liz Twist.
Geography
Rowlands Gill is situated within Gateshead's Greenbelt, 6.2 miles southwest of Newcastle just outside of the Tyneside urban sprawl. Transport in the area is mainly focused on Buses as the nearest railway station is Blaydon railway station, 3 miles to the north, and is further away from any Tyne and Wear Metro stations. The village lies on the A694, known as 'Station Road' in the village centre. Another nearby major road is the A692 that passes through the nearby areas of Byermoor and Hobson, County Durham.
Retail and facilities
The village has two licensed premises, the Vale of Derwent Working Mens Club and a ‘micro pub’, The Railway Tavern. The Towneley Arms Public House pre-dated the village, being built in 1835 to serve travellers and their horses on the turnpike road through the valley. It was rebuilt in 1961 and due to lack of business, demolished in 2002 and replaced with dwellings. Persons requiring alcoholic refreshment would need to visit any of the numerous licensed establishments in any of the nearby villages. The village has a four doctor GP surgery, a dentist surgery, and a chemist shop. There are a barber, two hairdressers, two art shops, a gym, a post office, a grocer, a florist, a pet shop, a garage, and an appliance shop. Also, an estate agent, an accountant, a bookmaker and a mortician. There is an Italian restaurant, a Chinese restaurant/take-away, a tea-shop, a sandwich shop, and a fish and chip shop. A public library is near the village centre. Strathmore Road Methodist Church and St. Barnabas Church of England Church are near the centre. The war memoral is a Grade II listed building.
Recreation and education
There is a small summer season caravan park located on the municipal Derwent Park site. The Derwent Park provides access to the river where permit holders can fish; also there are tennis courts, putting, recreational fields and playground facilities. The Derwent Country Walk runs through the village along the route of the dis-used railway line. The A694 runs through the town. There are frequent bus services to Newcastle City Centre, the MetroCentre and, in the other direction, Blackhall Mill and Consett. Other minor bus routes such as UCall bus service operate. Rowlands Gill has a primary school which was rebuilt in 2007 after the amalgamation of the previously separate infant and junior schools. The school is a feeder to Thorp Academy. However, a significant number of parents send their children to St Thomas More Catholic School, Blaydon. Rowlands Gill, and the surrounding Derwent Valley, was chosen by the Northern Kites Project as the location for the re-introduction of red kites in semi-rural areas. This scheme has proven to be a big success, with birds being spotted across the west of the borough, from Crawcrook through Rowlands Gill, to Burnopfield and Whickham.
Notable people
The following notable people were either born in Rowlands Gill or lived there for a significant period:
Kirsty Wade - athlete, a former resident of the old station-masters house.
Chris Ryan - SAS soldier and author.
Frank Clark - European Cup-winning football player and manager.
Si King - TV personality and Hairy Biker, resides in Rowlands Gill.
Ben Satterley - wrestler currently under contract to the WWE. Was once billed as being from Rowlands Gill when wrestling in the North East.
